Holland earns weekly WHL award

The Western Hockey League announced today that Tri-City Americans forward Patrick Holland is the WHL Player of the Week.

Holland collected six points, scoring three goals and three assists to go with a +4 rating, in two games over the past week helping the Americans to a 2-0-0-0 record.

On final weekend of WHL play before the League takes a break in the schedule for the holidays, the Tri-City Americans and Seattle Thunderbirds squared-off in a home-and-home series. On Friday, December 16, the Ams’ hosted the Thunderbirds at the Toyota Center, Holland scored one goal, added two assists and was named the games 2nd Star in the Americans 5-1 win over the Tbirds. The next night, Saturday, December 17, at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Holland scored a pair of goals, one assist and was named the games 1st Star in the Ams’ 5-3 victory over the Thunderbirds.

Holland currently ranks 17th among all WHL scorers with 42 points (13 goals, 29 assists) in 34 games played. The Tri-City Americans head into the WHL holiday break winning eight straight games and currently reside atop the WHL U.S. Division, Western Conference and entire League with 27-7-0-0 record for 54 points.

A 19-year-old from Lethbridge, AB, Holland is in his third full season with the Tri-City Americans and was selected in the 7th round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames.

The WHL has also nominated Adam Morrison of the Vancouver Giants for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Morrison posted a 2-1-0-0 record this past week, stopping 69 of 74 shots faced for a 0.932 save-percentage and 1.70 goals-against average. Morrison, a 20-year-old from White Rock, BC, leads all WHL goaltenders with 21 wins on the season.